BEAR RIVER HIGH – By Cari Doutre, Headliner Publisher, January 25, 2022
Not one, not two but FIVE state wrestling championship titles came home with the Bear River High girls’ wrestling team during the 2022 4A state championship tournament February 18-19, in Richfield, Utah.
Not to mention the 2nd place finish in state as a team for the Lady Bears.
The Bear River High girls’ wrestling team sent eight wrestlers into last Saturday’s 4A state championship finals, Sadie Hardy, Bella Gunderson, Sophie Miller, Hailey Branch, Josie Redman, Rhees Hatch, Haylee Farnsworth and Shanna Archuleta.
The finals started with the 100-pound weight class where Hardy, a junior at Bear River High, pinned Nyah Weatherston from Mountain Crest High School in the first round. Hardy’s end of the season record put her at 29-8.
For highlights of Hardy’s match courtesy of Bear River Live, click on the link below.
Up next was Gunderson, a sophomore wrestler new to Bear River High this year. She took on Anja Hansen from Crimson Cliffs High School pinning her in the second round. Gunderson’s final win of the season put her overall record at an impressive, 36-5.
Watch Bear River Live’s highlight video of Gunderson’s match on the link below.
At the 120-pound weight class, senior Sophie Miller (29-11) faced Piper Nix from Mountain Crest. Miller was defeated 21-12 in the finals. Hailey Branch, also a senior at Bear River High, lost to Ayelen Grilli from Cedar City High School, 11-1, at 130. Branch finished the season with an overall record of 36-4.
Bear River High junior Josie Redman (140) had a highly successful season on the wrestling mat this year. Redman beat state Laci Larsen from Mountain Crest High, 6-1, in the finals and put the All-Star wrestler’s season ending record at 39-3.
Highlights of Redman’s finals match courtesy of Bear River Live, can be found on the link below.
Then it was freshman Rhees Hatch’s turn in the championship finals. Hatch’s opponent, Emmalee White from Mountain Crest, didn’t stand a chance against the freshman sensation from Bear River. Hatch pinned White just 47 seconds into the match. Just like that.
Find highlights of Hatch’s match courtesy of Bear River Live on the link below.
For senior Haylee Farnsworth, her final match of her high school wrestling career ended with a 2nd place finish after Teagan Hall from Mountain Crest pinned her in the first round.
The Lady Bears finished the 2022 season on a high note when senior Shanna Archuleta took home the state title at 235 pinning Marjorie Tauti from Sky View High in the finals.
Watch highlights of Archuleta’s final match and an interview with Bear River Live, on the link below.
Bear River High had 21 wrestlers medal during last week’s 4A state championship tournament. The Lady Bears finished the tournament in 2nd place with 366 points behind Mountain Crest (the defending 4A state champs) with 465.5. Ridgeline High School took 3rd place with 123 points.
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Earning a spot on the podium for Bear River included:
3rd place: Sky Thompsen (105)
3rd place: Kate Bunce (110)
3rd place: Tassie Hatch (120)
3rd place: Sydnee Nielsen (190)
3rd place: Riley Smith (235)
4th place: Rachel Epling (110)
4th place: Samara Ward (115)
4th place: Avery Cazzell (125)
4th place: Emma Peterson (135)
4th place: Bretlee Potter (190)
5th place: Kynlie Nelson (125)
6th place: Rachel Nelson (135)
6th place: Crislyn Potter (155)
Check out highlights of the semi-final matches and more courtesy of Bear River Live on the links below.
Photos by Lexi Capener and Cari Doutre/BRVNEWS.com
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